Masks
by Kausa
Summary: What is Roxas to do, after the events with his mirror, he is lost and confused. That is until a certain redhead shows up. Akuroku, AU, Sequel to "The Mirror", please read that first!
1. Scars of envy

**_WARNING:_** This is a SEQUEL, meaning do not read it unless you read "The Mirror" first.  
And if you haven't, go read it now.

**_Notes:_** Well here it is, the sequel you all begged me for.  
XD I'm such a terrible person, you all wanted to know what happened to Axel and Roxas and Demyx and Zexion and I gave you...Riku and Sora.  
Tee-hee I'm mean. XD  
So...Enjoy and _please_, I cant stress this enough, _review_. I _need_ your feedback, it helps me _live_.

* * *

Sora never understood why Riku cut himself.  
It hurt, and Sora knew it.  
He tried it once, in a vein attempt to stop Riku.  
A threat of "Do it anymore and I will!"

Sora never thought it would hurt so bad, to injure himself like that and it not be enough to get the love of his life to stop doing the same.

In the two years they had been dating, and the many years they spent as best friends beforehand, Riku never told Sora _why_ he cut himself or _why_ he liked to spend the night at Sora's house so often.  
Maybe Riku just really liked his mom or something, that was Sora's guess.  
Because no one could like his snoring and bed hogging that much to want to spend practically every night there.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Sora was laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling waiting for Riku to finish his shower and come to bed.  
Oddly enough, Sora's mom had bought Sora a double bed a few years back, so Riku would always feel like he had a place to stay.  
Another reason Sora guessed Riku stayed so often.

A white ceiling, a ceiling fan, bumps that gave it texture.  
Sora stared and stared waiting for Riku.  
He took way to long in the shower, he always has.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Riku was sitting on the floor of Sora's cramped little shower, letting the water wash over him as he stared at his newest wound.  
Not to deep, and not close to the vain.  
In perfect line, just like the others.

He ran a finger over them, memories of terrible nights flooded back to him.  
Stopping as he got to the new wound, he stared.

He knew cutting himself hurt Sora, so why couldn't he stop?  
He knew it didn't do any good, but what else could he do?  
He couldn't relieve his stress and anger any other way, he took solace in this.

The water began getting cold, signaling it was time for him to take his leave of the shower and get dressed, into the arms of his adoring boyfriend.

If he could stay every night in those arms, comfort and love and warmth, he would never again cut.  
He wouldn't need to.  
He would finally have someone there to hold him through the tough times.  
To simply hug him, when he begged for it the most.

Unfortunately, those times he begged for it, he was at his house, listening to the silence that held so many lies.  
He would cut and cry silently, trying not to wake anyone.  
He would taste his blood, so to stop it from staining his sheets, and he would cry even more thinking about how Sora might react to this one.  
But it never stopped him.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Hey…" Sora called to his silver haired best friend as he entered the room, clad in only a towel that hung loosely around his hips, promising so many things but never fulfilling them.

Sora envied Riku.  
It seemed like Riku spent his every minute inside, away from the outdoors and any exercise, and yet he was so fit.  
He was lean, but not without muscle.

Riku was far from not having any muscle, and somehow you could see his every bone clearly under his skin.  
The ones Sora was currently staring at were the two barely holding up Riku's towel.

His two hip bones jetting out from his body gave him a fairly girly figure, not that Sora complained.

He was drying his hair with a second towel Sora had yet to notice, his eyes back onto the towel that hung at Riku's waist and grazed his knees.

"Sora?" Riku called, "Sora, honey you there?"  
Snapping back to reality, Sora smiled and blushed a bit, "Oh yeah, sorry…I got…"  
"Distracted?"

Another blush, Sora couldn't help himself, "Goodness Riku! Put some pants on before that towel comes undone and you…" Sora stopped and enjoyed the metal image of this.

"Do this?" Riku dropped the towel, and Sora's mouth hung open.

He could hardly speak, dumbfounded, "W-why are you wearing boxers under your towel?" He finally managed to get out.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Riku and Sora walked hand in hand to school the next morning, like they did whenever Riku spent the night.  
They had gotten over the weird looks and how people talked, because no matter what, people would talk.

One of those people was a deep red haired girl with blue eyes.  
She was one of Riku and Sora's closest friends, since she moved here from some garden place in early childhood.  
At least, that's what she tells everyone.

"Hey guys! Over _here!!_" She called, waving frantically at the two boys.  
She was with a group of her friends, ones Riku couldn't stand and Sora was more then happy to be with.  
Sora was more then happy to be near anyone, that's the way he was.  
Maybe that's why everyone loved him so much.

Walking at a brisk pace over to their friends, Sora smiled sweetly and asked, "What's the matter Kairi?"  
Her face was priceless.  
She was shocked, yet smiling and happy.

"You _have_ to see this!" She quickly pulled Riku and Sora into her circle of friends, causing them the same look of dumbfounded, happy, idiocy.

"Whoa…"  
"My goodness…"  
Utter, and complete, shock.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Riku kissed Sora goodbye in front of his first period.  
Math, oh joy.

What Kairi had shown him was still fresh in his mind, and his thoughts were torn.  
Just last week he heard him telling Hayner how he was gay for him, and now _this_?

It just didn't make any sense to Riku.  
He himself was gay, and that never happened to him.

Riku's first period teacher had these heartless blue eyes, and striking pink hair.  
He always tied it back, and encouraged Riku and some of the other long haired males to do the same.  
It looked more "Professional".

Like anyone really cared what Mr. Loire had to say.

What Kairi had showed Riku about that boy was still swimming in his head, drawing all his thoughts into it.  
Why would that happen?  
It didn't make sense.

"Mr. kajitsu, would you _please_ listen to what I have to say and _stop_ daydreaming in my class?"  
Mr. Loire was scary in his own right, but not as much as some of the other teachers.  
Still, scary to the point of wanting to listen to him in fear of him eating your soul.

Straightening up in his chair, Riku smiled, chuckled nervously, "Sorry Mr. Loire, I have a lot on my mind and-"  
The pink haired teacher put a hand up to stop him, "Mr. Kajitsu, I really, _really_, couldn't care less about your personal life. Leave your problems at the door and pick them back up when you go, understood?"  
Riku nodded, and proceeded to slink down in his seat.

His mind was somewhere else all class period, but he hid it slightly better.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Sora was in just as much trouble.  
He shared a first period with Roxas, not that Roxas ever paid attention to that.  
Sora was pretty sure he didn't even know he was in his class.  
Sharing the same torture from Mr. Tribal.

But today, Roxas seemed more out of it then usual.

Just like every day, Sora waved to him and he didn't notice.  
He wished he could help the obviously suffering kid, but he didn't know how.

Sora had an idea where the bruises always came from, but he didn't say anything.  
Oddly, there was a pang of guilt in his heart when Riku told him Roxas was cutting himself.

Sora sat opposite side of the room then Roxas, and always got here early.  
Probably a reason he never saw him.

Roxas sat near the door, and Sora sat near a window.  
There was a seat open next to Roxas, and Sora wished that one day Mr. Tribal would get sick, so there would be a substitute.  
That way, Sora could sit next to Roxas and get to know him.

But Mr. Tribal _never_ got sick. A miracle, seriously.

There was a new student today though, and he sat next to Roxas.  
Sora's heart sang with hope for the two boys.  
Maybe the would become friends and then he wouldn't be alone anymore.

More guilt.  
If Sora wanted him to have friends so bad, why didn't he just talk to him?  
Something about Roxas pushed Sora away from him, he didn't know what.

The new kid had red hair, that jetted out behind him like he went through a high speed wind tunnel to dry it in the mornings.

He also had green eyes, really bright. Even brighter then Riku's, and to Sora, that said a lot.

Underneath his shining green eyes were facial tattoos.  
_Facial tattoos._  
And this was a sophomore class.  
How did he get those being he had to been just sixteen, at the oldest, to be in this class?

If Sora were to ever get facial tattoos, he thought, he would make them worth while.  
Not just some small purple lines, hardly noticeable.

But noticeable enough, at least to catch Sora's gaze.  
Sora was bright, just kind of obvious.  
And if _Sora_ saw them, they were attention getting.

His heart smiled wide, but his mouth stayed placid.

The new kid was talking to Roxas, making friends with him.  
And Roxas, Roxas was…Smiling!

Sora had never seen his smile before.  
It was warm and wonderful.  
It was genuine.  
Sora missed the old days, when his smile was genuine.  
He knew he had one like Roxas' once.  
Nowadays though, it was all a lie.

Sora smiled and seemed happy.  
But it was all a cover for something much worse.

But Roxas…Roxas looked happy.  
Like…_real_ happy.  
Not like Sora's happy, and it pained him.

Sora felt another tang of guilt.  
No, envy.

Sora's didn't even notice how hard he was holding his pencil until it nosily broke in half in his clenched fist.

* * *

**_Note:_** XD I hate document manager...I had these nice pretty space holders and it KILLED THEM. Sad day. Well I got a replacement but still....grrr  
Okay, so there you go, chapter one of "Masks", the sequel to "The Mirror".  
I hope you liked it since you were all begging me to write it.

So please, **_review, fav, and alert!  
_**Be looking for more soon, okay?  
Byes!


	2. Blue into aquamarine

**_Note:_** God the timeline is really confusing.  
Chapter one takes place during Chapter thirteen of "The Mirror" and leads up to the end of the story of "The Mirror".  
This one takes place from the time Axel and Roxas see the "slate haired man" enter the 7-11, up to the night after the mirror breaks.  
So yea...the timelines alittle hard to follow, but bear with me.

Umm again, my proof reader has not seen this yet, so expect many many errors up until tomorrow. Sorry.

_And some bad news:_ My wrist kinda hurts, it might be awhile before chapter three...

Enjoy!

* * *

The air was cold, it was getting late, and the last thing Zexion wanted was to be outside.  
Clutching the small gift box tightly to his stomach, briskly walking, he thought about how much he missed the summer.  
Summer was warm and bright, this was…Much less of both.

Finally reaching the place of his search, the local 7-11, Zexion nodded at two boys exiting the gas station.  
One, a red head that used way to much hair glue this morning.  
The other a short blond boy, with serious bed head.  
Both of them with Sea-Salt ice fcream.  
Secretly, it was Zexion's favorite flavour.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

With a '_ding_' he entered the cool store.  
The cashier was slouched over the counter, drooling next to a sign that stated 'Please don't steal, and just leave the money next to me. Thank you.'

Sighing, Zexion tucked the gift box into his pocket and slammed his hands down on the counter.  
Knocking some of the money off and making his boyfriend scream.  
"Hey, what's the deal Zex?!"

"The _deal_ is that you were asleep on the job, _again_." Zexion placed his hand onto his hips and sent Demyx a glare that could topple monuments.

Standing and dusting himself off, Demyx pleaded, "Oh come on Zex, it was five minutes, top!"  
Zexion, still not pleased, gestured his hand at the money that was scattered around the counter, "What if someone stole something from you? What would you tell the boss?"

A shrug and a yawn, "I don't know…The bastard beat me up and stole our video camera?"  
"Demyx…" Zexion sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "Oh yeah, Demyx I have something for you."

Demyx leaned over the counter and smiled slyly, "Oh really? Well I have something for you too then."  
He placed a small kiss on Zexion's lips and reached into his pocket, extracting the gift box without notice.

Standing back up straight, Demyx giggled with excitement, "Oh! I wonder what it is!"  
Zexion stood baffled at how Demyx got the box from him.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Laying in his bed on his back, Demyx held the small keychain above his head.  
It was utterly beautiful to him, and he loved it with every fiber of his being.  
Almost as much as he did Zexion.

The keychain in question was a thin orb of blue crystal.  
It fit neatly in Demyx's hand, when he held it up to the light, it shown like the ocean; every shade of blue and green.  
Inside the thin orb was water, almost full but empty enough to leave an air bubble.

Demyx had spent the last hour holding it to the light over his bed and tipping it back and forth.  
It reflected every hue of green and blue onto his walls and face.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

The next day, Demyx made sure to clip his keychain on his pants, and headed off to work.  
He walked there, just like everyday, in the biting February cold, with two jackets and a long sleeved shirt on.  
Cursing the cold and praying for the seasons to skip spring and give them two summers instead, Demyx turned the corner nearest his place of work.  
He stopped in his tracks and stared at the cement side walk.

He wished he had stopped that brown haired kid.  
That blond one that always buys the ice cream and potato chips seemed so nice.  
The memory of seeing him getting the snot beat out of him was sickening Demyx.

He quickly went inside and ran to the bathroom.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"_DEMYX!!_"Zexion screamed slamming his hands down on the counter, hard.  
With a jolt, the blond musician woke.  
"Geez Zex! Why do you keep waking me up like that?!"  
"_Why_ do you keep sleeping on the job!?"  
"_Why_ can't you let me live my life!?"  
"_Why_ are you copying me!?"  
Demyx leaned over to the infuriated Zexion and placed a kiss on his nose, "Because you are just _so_ cute."

Sighing and straightening up, Zexion smiled and pointed to Demyx's belt, "Thanks honey…"  
Demyx gave him the normal dumb look, "For wearing pants?"

Shaking his head, Zexion smiled, "No…for that" he thrust his finger at Demyx belt once more.  
"For my belt? Well I know its so pretty with its Koi and how its blue but Zex, I wear it every day."

Zexion grabbed his lover by the shoulders and hung his head, "Why are you so stupid?"  
Demyx grabbed Zexion shoulders, mocking, "Why are you so cute?"

The men laughed heartily, until Zexion caught the clock, "Oh Demyx, I have to go, I have my own job to get to you know."

They kissed goodbye, Zexion didn't even notice the gift Demyx placed in his pocket on the hug.  
He thought himself to be quite the ninja.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Trotting down the cold street, Zexion tightened his scarf and stuffed his hands into his pockets.  
Something wasn't right.  
In his pockets were the usual: Mp3 player, lighter he confiscated from Demyx, mini notebook, pencil, and…something else.  
He wrapped his hand around it and played with it in his pocket.  
Cell phone? No, that was in his pants pocket.  
Gum? No, he didn't have any.  
Tiny…Boxlike…What was this?

Pulling it out, he studied it.  
A ring box.  
Violet, Demyx knew it was Zexion favorite colour.

A smiled pierced his lips as he opened it.  
Inside was a small necklace with half a glass heart on it.

Obviously something from the dollar store, Zexion loved it none the less.  
And he loved the fact that Demyx had reused _that_ box.

Only, were was the second half to the heart?

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Demyx fondled the half heart around his next.  
It was cheap and a last minute idea, he wished more thought went into it.  
At least he knew Zexion would like the box, _that_ box.

The blond kid that came in almost everyday walked through the door.  
The little bell tied to it '_dinged_' and alerted Demyx to his presence.

He looked sad, like he had been non stop crying.  
His hair was messier then usual, and his eyes were red and bloodshot.

He quickly walked to the back of the store, grabbed a bar of ice cream, and came up to pay.  
Laying two dollars on the counter, he turned to leave only to be stopped by Demyx's hand on his wrist.  
"What's wrong kid?"

The boy shook his hand free, "I'm upset, duh…You wouldn't understand Demyx…"  
Placing both his hands on his hips, Demyx pouted, "Now see here, this is why you wont tell me what's wrong. You know my name, and I have no idea what yours is, so tell me."

Demyx saw a tear slide down the boys cheek as he told him, "Roxas" and left in a hurry.  
He didn't even take his change.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Roxas…" Demyx told the small man in his arms while he stroked his hair.  
Zexion looked up at him from his place resting against Demyx's chest, "No Demyx, we went over this, my name is _Zexion_."  
Shaking his head, he sighed, "That blond kid that got beat up in front of the store…His name was Roxas."

Zexion sat up and stared into Demyx's eyes, "I told you, you couldn't do anything about it, stop beating yourself up over it."  
"I _could_ have called the police or something…" His voice was bitter.

Kissing him slowly, Zexion smiled, hoping it would catch on, "Demy, please stop being so upset, I'm sure he's-"  
"Covered in bruises?"  
"What?"  
"I saw him today, he was beat up pretty bad, and crying…He's a strong kid, he never cries…Every time I see him with cuts or bruises, he brushes it off and buys ice cream…Something happened this time, something different…"

Zexion and Demyx stared into each others eyes for some time.  
Blue into aquamarine.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

A knock at the door disturbed Demyx's slumber.  
Tomorrow was his only day off this week, and that meant Zexion got to spend the night.  
Wiggling out from under his lover, Demyx threw on the closest pants and headed for the door.

"Do I even want to know why you aren't wearing a shirt and…Dem, I don't think those pants are yours…"  
Demyx rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Axel!?" he jumped and hugged his friend hard, "Its been so _long_!"  
Pulling back, Demyx added, "So you finally found a girl for you huh?"

Axel shook his head, bobbing his spikes back and forth, "Demyx, it's a boy…a teenage boy."  
Demyx nodded understandingly, "That would explain how I came to be older then ol' Axel here."

Axel sighed and stepped into the house, "Demyx, there's trouble."  
"What kind of trouble? The boy released you and figured out your name, how is there trouble?"  
Demyx closed the door behind them and lead Axel to a couch, "Sit".

Axel covered his eyes with his hands and leaned his head back, "Demyx, his dad broke it…"  
"Broke what?" Demyx asked, taking the seat next to Axel.  
"The mirror!" Axel flung his hands off his eyes and shot his head up, "The same day I became solid, so…"  
Demyx nodded in understanding, "What's going to happen to you?"  
A nod.  
"Well…" The blond began, "Your gonna die again…"  
Axel shot up, "What?!"

Waving his hand slowly at Axel, Demyx told him, "Calm down, calm down…So am I."  
Another outburst, "What?!"  
Sighing, "Okay, sit down and stop screaming or you'll wake Zexion."  
Axel followed his command, scared and stuck by shock.

"Okay, what happened to you when the mirror broke?"  
Axel thought, "Well I faded away and woke up in the middle of the road…"  
Demyx nodded, "And?"  
"Something lead me here…"

Demyx nodded again, "Keep going…"  
"And I knocked on your door?"

"Bingo!" Demyx shot a finger into the air, "Okay, so that's all that happened? Your sure?"  
Axel nodded, Demyx continued, "Then we are both, going to die."

Axel groaned, "Why are you okay with this!?"  
"Because death isn't permanent."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Huh?"  
"You see, the mirror broke. That means our ties with Hollow Bastion and the dream world are gone, right?"  
Axel nodded, he was to dumbstruck to speak.  
"So now we have to die and be reborn as real humans. Axel, this was a good thing."  
Demyx placed a hand onto Axel's shoulder, "But don't worry, you wont change your age or anything like that. It will be like…Dreaming of dying and waking up somewhere different, like you did when the mirror broke."  
Axel stared at him, "What's going to happen to me Demyx?"

Demyx stood up and crossed his arms over his chest, "I'm guessing we both die tonight. I'll have Zexion find us in the morning, we wont end up far from here, then you can stay here for some time."  
Axel nodded, "But I'm like…" he studied himself, "Sixteen in this world…"

"Then you can stay with me and Zex! And you can go to school with your lover-boy!" Demyx was getting jumpy and happy and, well Demyx-like again; he started making kissing noises at the 'lover-boy comment'.

"Why is there so much loud talking?" Zexion yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

This sent Axel into a fit of laughter, "Well I can see whose pants Demyx has!"  
Zexion retorted with throwing a pillow to Axel face.

Demyx calmed his boyfriend down and sighed, "Axel we still have a lot to worry about."  
"Like what?"

Demyx wrapped an arm around Zexion's waist, "Well…You see I came out as an adult, and then I could just lie to all the authorities and not have them care much, but you…You're a teenager now Axel…"

"So?"  
"They are gonna look really deep into this…We gotta come up with some lies, and fast…"

The three men stood there thinking for sometime, until Demyx broke the silence, "Oh Axel! I almost forgot!"  
He grabbed the redheads arm and pulled him onto the couch, "So tell me about him!"

Axel thought for a second, "Well he's blond and has these deep blue eyes…His dads pretty violent, and he gets picked on at school. Just the other day some kid beat him up on the street…"

"A-axel…D-does he like…Sea-salt ice cream?"  
Axel nodded, "Yeah, that's right. In fact, he comes into your store a lot. I was there the other day but you were asleep and so-"

Demyx stopped listening, while his heart sank into despair.

* * *

**_Note:_** GAH I wanted to stop right after the "Because death isn't permanent." part but I couldnt...  
I was going to stop this chapter there and have the next one started already, but eh, I think some of us are getting sick of cliffhangers.

So **_please review, fav, and alert!  
_**I love your feedback, I live off of it.

**Cosplay update:** For any of you who care, I am going to Sakura con this year as street style Riku! Kiddy (proof reader) is going as Roxas and Kd (our best friend) is going as Axel!  
As of now we have all our clothing, the wigs and contacts are ordered, and we are pretty set.  
All thats left to do is do some sewing, iron-on-transfering, and when we get the wigs style and such.  
I cant wait! April 11-12 are the days we are going so if you are to, please say so in a review or send me a message!!

**_Note for when you review!: _**When you review, if you ask questions it gives me a better idea of what needs to be explained and such in the next chapter. So ask away!


	3. Seasalt skies

_**Author's Note:**_ I _swear_ I didn't die. Sorry for how long this took...I really am.  
Lifes been...Crazy lately.  
But on the plus side, our wigs for con are all done!! Yay!!  
All that we have left are our shirts, and that wont take long.

I feel kinda bad, I made you wait SOOOO long, and its really short...  
Well A LOT of things are...Well you'll see.

Anyway, with nothing let to sidetrack me, I have somewhat a reason to go on with this.  
XD That is if I have any people who want to read it anymore...

Enjoy!

**Timeline note:** If you dont understand when this all happens after the end of this chapter, read the A/N at the end.

* * *

Roxas leaned on his window sill, staring up into clear blue sky, enjoying his ice cream.

The sun was barely starting to set, tinting the sky a violet-y blue kind of colour.  
Well, it was more blue then violet.  
Or maybe it was pink?  
Roxas didn't know, he wasn't one for naming colours, he just liked them a lot.  
This would be the last night like this, school started up again tomorrow. The repairs were done.

Right now is when Twilight Town earned its name, this was when the town shown.  
The buildings of town were a red-tan kind of colour, and at sunset they looked to be on fire.  
Not the bad kind of fire per se, but…well the kind of fire that burned his school.  
The kind of fire that Axel seemed to be so in love with.  
Axel…

Roxas tilted his half eaten popsicle stick upward, letting the drips fall into his mouth.  
He remembered when he and Axel would have late night talks, Axel loved fire.  
He talked so lovingly of it, for someone who had never seen it in the real world.

A drip of sea-salt ice cream landed on his tongue.

In the long run, Roxas guessed, this was a good thing.  
Axel…dying.  
After the mirror broke, things changed.

Another drop.

Roxas had flipped out on his father.  
Once he sobered up that is.

Yet another droplet.

He told him the truth about everything.  
Save the mirror, he just told his father he had snapped for no reason what so ever.

Drip.

His father felt so bad, words couldn't describe it.  
Roxas gave him an ultimatum.  
Never touch alcohol again, or lose your son forever.

Drop.

Roxas had said this with a razor pressed to his wrist.  
To show seriousness.

Drip, more salty then the last.

His father wasn't a moron, he made the connection of the gash on Roxas wrist.  
Roxas didn't tell him about the dream, he just lied through his teeth.

Drop…

Luckily his father felt bad enough not to send him to a counselor.

Drip, they were coming faster, why was his ice cream melting so fast?

Besides his father sobering up, Hayner changed to.  
Not much, but enough.

A big drop landed on his tongue, the sweetness mixed with the salt reminded him of a sugar cookie, only covered in salt.

He posted his little recording on the internet, and made sure all of the school heard.  
But after that, he left him alone.  
No more bullying him on his way to the 7-11, no more prank calls to his house, and he even gave him a friendly smile last Wednesday.

Roxas loved sea-salt ice cream, and this was his favorite way to eat it.  
Letting the melting drops slowly fall into his mouth.  
Heaven on earth.  
Almost.

Everything was going good in the long run.  
His father was sober and earning more money, he got promoted oddly fast.  
His bully stopped trying to kill him, and even smiled and waved at him.  
And to top it all off, they caught the guy that tried to burn his school down.

Drip, drop.

A man with a long red pony tail, and red tattoos on his face framing the underside of his eyes.  
Roxas didn't catch his name, but somehow the man reminded him of Axel.  
Maybe it was the voice.  
On the news, they showed his picture and a video of him being arrested at his house.

Drop.

He was kicking and screaming and saying things like "I was framed yo!" and many obscenities.  
Somehow, Roxas never caught the man's name…  
But his voice and his hair, they reminded him so much of…

Drip, Roxas held onto the stick a little harder.

No, he wasn't going to think of that man anymore. He wasn't real.  
That's what Roxas decided, Axel was not real.  
He was all in his head.  
So there was never a man to fall for.

Drop.

This way, life was easier.  
Roxas never lost his new best friend, who just happened to be living in a dream-mirror world thing.  
He never had those dreams.  
He just talked to himself a lot and…gave a name to the voice in his head.  
Which, as a weird coincidence, has stopped talking to him.

Suddenly without warning, his ice cream slid down its stick and straight onto his face.  
Almost none of it got in his mouth, and he now knows what its like to have sea-salt ice cream in his eyes…

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Demyx spent the time that Axel was staying with him to…  
Well catch up on work.  
Overtime, double shifts, anything he could do to get out to the house and away from Axel.**  
**

He felt so bad for him and Roxas.  
Demyx knew things about this whole "mirror deal" that Axel didn't…  
He…_knew_.  
The kind of way hippies seem to think the government _knows._  
Only less…conspiracy-full.

Bittersweet really.  
Demyx got more money this way for him and Zexion.  
Axel was done the wiser.  
And he got to catch up on his reading.

Bad side of this was Roxas.  
He saw _so_ much of him since the school burned down.  
Luckily, tomorrow was Monday, and the school was opening its doors again.

Then Demyx could sleep soundly at the front desk, knowing Roxas wouldn't be there buying icky ice cream and potato chips.

Honestly, how could he _eat_ those?  
Demyx had a theory; Roxas had a pet iguana that his father didn't know about. So he couldn't buy it meat or whatever it is they eat.  
But he found out that they _can_ eat a gross mixture of sea-salt ice cream and Pickle Chips.  
So he can get all this nasty food for his pet, and keep it a secret from his father until its big enough to one day-

"Hello? Change please mister…"  
How did he not notice his customer?

Laughing a little and saying he was sorry, Demyx quickly rung up her soda and gave her the three bucks she had asked for as change.

He watched her walk from his store before he started his mental rant about something or other again.  
He always zoned out like this when he was ranting in his mind.  
And no, Demyx seems to think this is perfectly normal and has never once questioned his sanity.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"School tomorrow…" Riku sighed while laying next to Sora in the grass of their favorite park.  
The same one they saw that blond kid in Sora's first period class cheat gravity.

Sora opened one eye and gave Riku sideways glance, "Yeah…But we've been out for _how_ long?"  
"Three or four weeks right?"  
Sora nodded, "Maybe longer, I can't even remember anymore…"

Riku rolled to his side to stare at his boyfriend, "I like all this us time, why do you seem so happy to go back to school were there are…" He made a frantic hand motion, "People…"

Sora fallowed suit and rolled to stare at Riku, "Because unlike you, I _like_ people. I don't want to grow up to be some…Hermit or something…"  
"Oh and _I_ do?"  
"You act like it…"

Riku sighed and rolled back onto his back, "I'm shy…Its not my fault…"  
"You aren't shy around _me_" Sora told him as he rolled over and laid atop of Riku.

"That's because I _love_ you, I can't stand those…those _people._"  
Sora smiled receiving a small peck on the nose from Riku.  
This was how life was supposed to be.

That's when they started to do things that resulting in a woman franticly covering her young child's eyes and screaming, "Get a room you perverts!"

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Ahhhh this is so _boring_ Zexion!!!" Axel wailed as he plopped down onto his friends couch.  
"I don't care what you think about it, you are going to help me if you want a place to stay until you can see your pretty little blond boy again!"

Axel quickly rose and retorted, "You're one to talk about 'pretty little blond boys'!"

Zexion's face took on the look of a cartoon villain, "You'll help me, and _like it, _or maybe I just wont let you go to school tomorrow to see your precious little _Roxie._"

* * *

_Authors Mote:_ Wow, my Akuroku story _finaly_ had Roxas in it!  
(Took me long enough...)  
XD I just _love_ the end of the Roxas part, when the ice cream splatters his face...  
Sorry this is so short, I'm setting up for the real drama...*evil smile*.

**WHAT?:** FF_dot_net did an update without me...I'm sad. I like the "crossover" thing though. XD I mean...Its cool and all, but I'm not a "crossover" kind of gal...Ya'know?

**_Timeline info:_** This is all taking place at the same time, if you didnt catch that. Its the day before school starts and the day befor Roxas re-meets Axel!  
XD I tried to make it obvious, since before this the timeline has been so...Mindfucky...XD As Kiddy would say.

_**Review, fav, and alert!  
**_


	4. First day of school

**Author note:** Oh my god, why is the timeline of this story so confussling!? Because I wrote it, thats why.  
Again, if you are having trouble figuring out when everything is happening, theres a detailed timeline at the end of the story.  
Sorry these are so short, I want to set up for future stuff...and that means short chapters.

Also, sorry if this is confusing beyond anything...XD its even starting to confuse me so...Yeah...

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Slave driver…" Axel mumbled once Zexion was out of the room.  
Falling into the couch he has been calling a bed the past few weeks, he imagined tomorrow, and how it would all play out.

Would Roxas recognize him?  
Would he still think of him as a friend?  
Demyx had been very vague about everything.

All Demyx had told him was he was going to die and why.

Stretching, he figured dying wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be.  
Why did it seem like everyone was afraid of it?

Demyx had underestimated it, but still, it wasn't all that bad.  
At least in the long run.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Make sure you sleep well tonight Axel, for tonight, _tonight_, is the start of something new!"  
Looking up at his friend from his spot on the couch-bed, Axel asked, "Like what? You said nothing would be any different."

Demyx patted his shoulder, "Oh Axel, I lied."  
"…Lied…?"  
A nod of happy agreement, "Yes, because _everything_ is going to change!"

Axel sat up in bed and gave him a quizzical look, "Is this going to hurt? Or make me a baby or something?"  
"No Axel," Demyx began, "We are becoming _human_. Do you know what that means?"  
"Uh…"  
"It _means_, my dear friend, we are free!"  
"Weren't we free before?"

Demyx sat down next to Axel and told his boyfriend to get some rest.  
Once Zexion was out of earshot Demyx sighed, "Axel…You weren't human long huh?"  
Axel shook his head.  
"Well…You see, even when we come out of the mirror, we aren't free."  
"I don't follow you."  
"Ten years."  
"Oh?"  
Demyx nodded, "Yup, that's all the time we are allowed."

Axel tilted his head, "What?"  
"You don't remember what they told us when we started this mirror thing?"  
Another shake, man Axel was dense.  
"We each get ten years to change the world. If we cant do anything big by then, then we die."  
Axel sprung up, "What?! That was never part of the deal!"

Demyx nodded, "Yes it was, you need to read what you sign up for Ax."  
Axel glared daggers into Demyx, "Explain."

Another sigh, "I'm telling you, _read_ what you _sign_. Anyway our mirror keeps us tied to Hollow Bastion, and keeps a flow of bad dreams to our loves. As long as we have yet to change the world, then we suffer. That's the deal we make to be free." Demyx folded his arms behind his head and smiled, "But I guess, once you think about it, we are_ less_ free this way."

Axel took a deep breath, "Demyx…How come I don't remember any of this?"  
"I'm guessing it has something to do with your time being 'solid'. Seems like," Demyx poked Axel in the forehead, "It messed up your brain or something."

"So now what?"  
"We die, what else?"

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Axel laid his head on his pillow, thoughts of Roxas and everything that Demyx had told him raced through his head.

Demyx, in a different room, did the same.  
Demyx had tried to seem so sure of himself and so smart to keep Axel strong, but he knew about as much as Axel did about this 'dying' thing.

Another line in the contract they signed, that Axel had apparently not read, told him if anything were to ever happen to the mirror, terrible things would happen.  
That is, if you were still inside.

But what happens when you are outside?  
Demyx asked the man he was signing up with, and he told him he would die and come back a human.

But what would that be like?  
And how did he know this was all the truth?

Frustrating stuff.

"You still awake Demyx?" Zexion yawned and rolled over to his side.  
Demyx replied with a passionate kiss that lead somewhere naughty.  
After all, this was his last night alive, right?

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Don't forget to brush your teeth Axel!" Zexion called as he left the house for work.  
Axel waved him off, his mouth to full with pancakes to answer.  
As much as a slave driver Zexion was, he made some damn good pancakes.  
Demyx was lucky, Axel was pretty sure Roxas couldn't cook.

The whole time Axel was staying with them, Zexion had made him thoroughly clean the house and do 'repairs'.  
Very unnecessary ones in Demyx's and Axel's eyes.  
Paint the bathroom, rip out the carpet in the living room and replace it with a hardwood floor, all the doors needed a new door jam, the stove needed a new burner, and countless other things.  
Granted, the house looked a lot better afterward but…They weren't even paying him!

Zexion just kept telling him that since _he_ was the one lying to the law and since _he_ was the one that legally adopted Axel after lying on his origins, he was in control.  
Control of what school he went to, where he slept, and when and if he ever saw Roxas again.

Axel was hoping the next set of repairs for Zexion would be turning that damn computer room into a bedroom.  
Then again, no one knew how long Axel was going to be there.  
Not just at Zexion and Demyx's house, alive.

All the while, Zexion was very oddly…Motherly.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Axel was finally done with getting ready for school, but he and Demyx didn't leave for another half hour.  
So they settled to watch the news.

It was early morning, so they kept running the same old new stories from the past week.  
Axel hadn't kept up on the news, so at least it was all new to him.

"I was framed yo!" The man on the TV screamed as he was drug out of his house.  
The ticker at the bottom of the screen read:  
"Local man sets fire to Twilight High, He was arrested last Wednesday at his house in the nearby town of Traverse Town. He was caught under the charges of arson and drug peddling."

Axel took a double take, "Demyx is that…?"  
"Reno?!" They screamed in unison.

"Reno set fire to Roxas' school!? WHY?!" Axel demanded at the TV screen.  
The story had changed to some other important thing, and Axel wasn't getting any answers.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Twilight high.  
It was bigger then it seemed.

Demyx walked Axel up to the front desk and filled out all the extra paper work he needed.  
Axel was given his schedule and was told to find his first class as soon as he could.

The men said goodbye and Demyx was off to work.  
Looking down at the paper in his hands, he read the first period class.

"Science with Mr. Tribal? That doesn't sound so bad…" Axel said aloud.  
A kid walking up to the office near him laughed, "Yeah, you just wait kid…"

What did he mean? How bad could a guy with the name 'Tribal' be?

After a few agonizing minutes running around school, Axel stumbled across first period.  
He clasped his hand around the handle.  
Cold, metal, very unwelcoming.

School, Roxas complained a lot about it.  
It didn't seem so bad, but how did he know?

Axel felt lucky, there was no way _his _first period teacher was as bad as Roxas'.

Taking a deep breath, Axel turned the handle and opened the door to a very mad looking man with blond hair.

"Can I help you sir?" He asked, his voice like a toxic poison.  
Axel fumbled his schedule, still outside the classroom, "Yeah…Is this Mr. Tribal's class?"

The man nodded, "Yes it is, are you the new student?"  
Axel nodded.  
The man waved for him to come in and told the class, "Listen up everyone, we have a new student in class."  
He looked at Axel, his dull green eyes piercing Axel's bright green ones.  
"I won't waste precious class time telling you about him, just have a seat next to that blond kid there," He pointed a long, skinny, talon like finger at the boy in the row closest to the door.  
"His name is Rockas."

Axel's heart soared.  
It _was_ Roxas!

He quickly sat down in the seat next to Roxas and held out his hand.  
He needed to seem like a new student, that's what Demyx and Zexion told him.  
So it would be weird if he knew someone already, and even more weird if they were friends.  
So he thought he should introduce himself, to make him seem kind and friendly.  
Also, this way he got to hold Roxas' hand for a second or two.

"Hello, my name is-"  
"Axel?!"

* * *

**Note:** I know, that line at the end is a lot less epic the second time, but you needed to see if from Axel's point of view.  
God these last chapters have been so BORING, I'm sorry...  
I'll try to make them better the next few, okay?

Well...Not much to say except _Vexen days till con_!!

And **_review, fav, and alert!_** Please and thank you!

**Timeline:** Chapter one takes place the night before school starts, and at the same time as Chapter three does.  
Chapter two takes place at the start of Chapter thirteen of "The Mirror", until after the mirror broke.  
Chapter four happens...XD Well part of it happens sometime while Axel was with Demyx and Zexion, and some of it takes place the morning of school until the very end of "The Mirror".  
And all our POV's are at the same point in time right now, (thank god), which is the morning of school.  
Now I've gotten a few messages telling me this is confusing, and it is, so if your still confused, message me...XD I'll try to explain better...


	5. Time out

**Authors note:** Wow I'm really making up for lost time huh? I love it.  
I actualy...Like this chapter. Its the first in the story I did.  
I hope you all like it.  
But knowing my luck, whenever I hate one you all like it, so you'll all hate this one. Grr...

**Enjoy.**

* * *

"Axel..?" Roxas repeated once more.  
How…was this possible?  
Axel was a figment of his imagination, he finally convinced himself of that.  
But here was, sitting next to him in Tribal's class.

Axel nodded, "Yup, in the flesh. Good to see you too Roxie."

Roxas sat, unmoving, his mouth gaping wide, "Your…Not real…"  
He quickly turned to the kid that sat behind Axel, a girl with brown wavy hair and green eyes, "Do you see him?"

The girl gave Roxas a quizzical look, "Uh, yeah? Why, don't you?"  
He quickly turned back to Axel, "I..I mean…You cant-"  
"Rockas! Be quiet or I will send you to time out again."

Axel gave a snicker, "Time out? That's pretty adult for _high school_, don't 'cha think Mr. T?"  
You could tell by the look on his face, Mr. Tribal's blood was positively _boiling_, "That is _professor Tribal_ to you, you snot nosed little brat."  
He quickly sped off to his desk, took something from it, and began to write hurriedly.

Passing the small pink slip to Axel, he steamed, "You are _not_ to return from time out until you can learn some _manners_ young man."

Axel stared at the pink slip, "Wow, pretty pink paper Mr. T, but what's it for?"  
Balling his fists, Mr. Tribal fumed, "_Professor Tribal_, and why not have Rockas accompany you to the room? He knows where its at."

"Hey wait!" Roxas gasped, "Why am _I_ in trouble here?!"  
"Because I said so _Rockas_." Tribal sent him daggers with his eyes as he added Roxas' name to the slip.

Standing straight and looking like he was having quite the power trip, he smiled, "Now, both of you leave my class before I call security for your negligence."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

"Wow, thanks Axel…" Roxas crossed his arms over his chest and let out a sigh, "First day back and we _both_ get time out."  
Axel had his arms behind his head, seeming much more relaxed, "Sorry, I don't know human customs yet."

Roxas looked up at him.  
Goodness, Axel was tall, and very well built.  
He guessed he never noticed before because, well, he never let himself believe he was a real person.  
Then again…was he real now?  
Or was Roxas in a coma or something?  
Either way, he didn't want whatever was causing him to see Axel to end.

"You could have just shut up…Or called him Professor or something…"  
"Sorry, I didn't know he would drag you down with me," Axel slung an arm over Roxas' shoulder, making him seem even taller somehow, "Besides, this way we get some alone time, right?"

Roxas let out a heavy sigh, "Alone time? In time out? Please…"  
"Oh, it cant be _that_ bad, right?"

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Oh, it was _that_ bad.

Since the fire burned mostly the west side of school, the time out room was burned down completely.  
Their repairs entitled just closing it off, along with any other room that was 'unfixable'.

So now the time out room was in a horrendously small room with six desks.  
Roxas guessed this was once a storage closest or something, since it didn't have windows.

Mrs. Carol leaned in a corner of the small room reading a pink, leather bound book.  
She had one leg holding her up, and the other on the wall, like how those 'cool kids' on TV stand when they smoke.  
She looked pretty comfortable, soft almost, for someone who was so…rigid by nature.

Her eyes averted from her book when Axel opened the door, the small blond boy trailing behind him, dreading this.  
Axel on the other hand couldn't wait to see what time out was like.  
Roxas assured him he would be sent here a lot, there was no reason to be in a hurry.

"Mr. Strife? Who is your friend?"  
Oh crap, Axel never got a last na-  
"I'm Axel Ishida, I'm a sophomore and I was sent here from Mr. Tribal's class."  
Axel stood formally and held out a hand, although Mrs. Carol was on the other side of the room and showed no intention to move.

She blinked a few times, "Ishida? Really?"  
Axel nodded, and Roxas was even more confused.

She slowly put down her book and pointed to a seat, "I'm guessing you're here for calling him "Mr." instead of "Professor"?"  
Axel nodded.  
"Okay, you and Roxas sit up here, and I'll…I guess I'll just read…You two…Do homework or something, okay?"

Axel smiled sweetly, "May we talk Mrs.…Umm…"  
"Carol."  
"Mrs. Carol then, may we?"  
She nodded and got back into her reading position.

The boys both took a seat in the back, far from where she told them to sit.  
Roxas looked over to his redheaded friend in amazement, "How did you do that?"  
"You mean slay the metaphorical dragon?" Axel smiled coyly, "Oh I have my ways Roxie, I have my ways."  
He rested his elbows on the table and laced his fingers together, repeating, "I have my ways…"

Axel and Roxas caught up, but Axel never told him about dying or anything else that happened with the mirror.  
Really, Roxas did all the talking, telling Axel about life without him.

Axel leaned back in his chair, "Seems like you fair well without me."  
"So? Doesn't mean I don't want you around…"  
Axel cocked his head to one side, "Really now?"

Roxas nodded and blushed a little, luckily Axel never noticed, "Well…You're my best friend Axel…"  
He let out a laugh, "Best friend? How come?"  
"I don't know…It just…feels like you are."  
"Because unlike your last 'best friend', I _don't _beat the living snot out of you daily, and I _don't_ steal your food or money?"  
Roxas nodded.

Axel sprung back upright, his chair's front two legs hitting the ground hard, "That reminds me…"  
He looked at his shy little blond, "Can I steal your food today?"  
"What?! But Hayner's finally being kind of nice…And I was going to get to eat today…"

Axel shook his head, "Zexion didn't give me money or anything for food, he forgot…can we just…share at least?"

Share a lunch with Axel?  
Why did the idea seem so wonderfully amazing? It was just lunch, he…  
"Please?" Axel gave him the 'I'm-a-sad-and-lonely-puppy-dog-who's-starving" look.  
Roxas swore, that look combined with the heat of Axels natural gaze, could melt even Tribal's heart.

How could Roxas say no?

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Roxas was sad to note that Axel and him only shared two class periods.  
First and fifth.  
Why were those classes so…eventful?

Guessing his second period teacher wouldn't care, he walked Axel to his class.  
Of course, on the other side of school.

"Well…This is my stop, huh?" Axel stood with his arms behind his back, rocking from the balls of his feet to his toes.  
Roxas had his head down, rubbing his arm slightly, "Heh…Yeah…"

Roxas swore, if the tension or awkwardness got any worse, it could kill. Stop hearts, liquefy minds.  
"So…Bye?"  
"For now." Axel's smile grew, "So…Do I get any special goodbye?"  
"Like what?"

Axel acted without a time for Roxas to react, grabbing him tight in his arms and hugging until Roxas was at a loss for air.  
Axel's hug was…Warm.  
Everything about him was warm.  
He seemed to _breathe_ warmth, like unnaturally warm.  
Not just the normal human warmth that was breathed out with carbon dioxide either, he seemed to breath like all his insides were ablaze.

When Roxas thought about it, his eyes were even warm.  
They always looked like he was the happiest guy on the planet, and he just wanted to love everything about everyone.  
Roxas wondered if Axel could see the good in all people with those eyes, eyes like Axel's seemed to see no wrong in anyone.

Wait, what was Roxas thinking!?  
His eyes were green, a bright green maybe but just…green.  
He was over thinking all of this.  
He was like…a love struck puppy.  
And he knew if he wasn't careful about this 'love struck puppy' deal, he would soon be a 'truck struck puppy' and a dead one at that.  
At least in the mind and heart department.

The hug seemed to last forever, and people were staring.  
Roxas didn't care if they thought he was gay anymore, because frankly, he wasn't sure himself.  
And why should he care what other people think?  
They didn't know the real him, they just saw and heard what Hayner and others wanted them to.

But honestly, why did any of them care about Roxas?  
They had never talked to him, at least to the point to _know_ him the littlest bit.  
So they shouldn't judge, they _couldn't_.  
They didn't _know_ him.  
Right?

Then again, maybe they knew Roxas better then he knew himself.  
What if they were right about everything they had ever said about him?  
What if he _was_ a faggot-y emo kid with no life?  
Did he really care?

Did that one time cutting make him emo?  
And did having feelings for _one_ boy make him gay?

Roxas was so confused right now, and being in Axel's arms didn't really help.  
But at the same time it did.  
He was warm, and comforting, and Roxas could feel the compassion and love and trust in his hug.  
But was that enough?

Roxas didn't know anything anymore, all he knew was he had to get away.  
Just…get away from Axel, and clear his head.

He quickly pushed Axel away from him, and bolted off down the hall.  
He heard Axel call after him, but he didn't care.  
He didn't want Axel to see him cry, and he needed to get away.  
From everything.  
But mostly, from Axel.

Axel sagged his shoulders and let out a sigh, "What did I do wrong?"  
Why was human life so…confusing?

* * *

**Note:** I hoped you all liked that chapter, I did. I think...I dont know, if I read over it or thought about it I probably wouldnt.  
But...its cute, and kinda fluffy, so its making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (yay?)

Sakura con is in _Xaldin _days!!! Gah! Panic attacks...Not fun...  
If your going, message me and meet me there ok?  
I'll be cosplaying as street style Riku. ;) Favorite charater and I act just like him, or so I'm told.

**_Please review, alert, and fav! Thank you!_**

Last note: This will probably be the last chapter till about tuesday next week. Since I'm busy all day today, then tomorrorw is friday so thats con set up day and then con and then monday I'm always to wiped out to write.  
But who knows?  
Any and all story updates are at the top of my profile in a section called "To all my dear readers". Check it out, its helpful and informitive. XD I spelled that wrong didnt I? Whatever. Info-packed, how about that instead.


	6. Copper

**_Author note:_** Today was bad.  
My grammar person hasnt read this yet, so it sucks.  
Sorry.  
Enjoy?  
**_By the way:_** Sorry its so short, I'll make it up to you all.  
And sorry it sucks so much, I was really out of it while writing...

* * *

Roxas leaned against the cool tiles of the boys bathroom.  
He needed to clear his head, and he needed to do it fast.  
But clearing his head and doing it fast were not things Roxas was particularly good at.

Axel…  
Axel was warm, caring, loving, and kind.  
And Roxas could feel that all from a hug.  
He wondered what he could feel from…

"No" Roxas breathed as he shook his head.  
"I can't…" He pushed himself back from the wall.  
What was he thinking?  
Hugging Axel like that…  
And what was Axel thinking!?

Roxas clasped his hands over his ears, "I need to get away…" He whispered to himself.  
He quickly darted out of the bathroom as the bell telling everyone to be in class rung.  
He was alone in the hall.  
Good.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

There he was, Roxas; prey.  
Darting quickly out of the bathroom, taking a glance around.  
He thought he was safe.  
Idiot.

He quickly strode up to Roxas, grabbing him by a bunch of cloth that was the back of his shirt.  
He spun him around to face him.  
His blue eyes shook in fear.  
_Perfect._

"H-h-h" Roxas gasped as a fist landed in the pit of his stomach.  
He started to cough, from which his oppressor got far too much gratification.  
"Money, now Roxas." He whispered in his ear,

Roxas quickly did as he was told.  
He guessed there would be no sharing lunch with Axel today.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

He started to cough again once Hayner had left him to writhe in his own pain.  
Something was off about it though.  
His stomach hurt, and something a bit higher then it to.  
But what was off?

He coughed again, into his hand this time.  
It reminded him of Axel.  
Axel was so warm, and kind and…  
He wished he was here right now, to pick him up off the ground and hold him.

To fix up all the pain and make it go away.

He coughed again.  
Was that…?  
No, there was no way.

"Damn…It Hayner…" Roxas dropped to his hands and knees.  
Exactly how hard had he been hit?

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Axel punched the closest thing to him, the metal door on a locker that was next to him.  
His knuckles dented it, the feeling was drained from them on impact.  
No pain, just anger.

Why did Roxas have to overact?  
He had just hugged him, was that so wrong?

Then again, Axel thought he might be seen as overacting to, punching some innocent locker for no real reason.  
But damn it, this locker had it coming.  
It was…Red and…Here.  
Good reasons.

Axel saw Roxas run off down the hall, and toward the left?  
He didn't know.  
And he was torn, should he go to class and try to get himself more into the school and learning about human life?  
Or should he go after Roxas?

Well lucky for Axel, he didn't have much of a choice.  
A cold, bony hand grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and dragged him into class.  
It was telling him about being in class on time, even if he was new.

He wondered where Roxas was…

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

The rest of the day was a blur to Axel.  
He didn't listen to any of his classes, and he got lost more then he thought was possible.

At lunch he tried to find Roxas, but he had no such luck.  
Where could that little blond boy _be_?

"Hello." Axel looked up from his spot on the grass.  
He had been laying in the grass, staring out into space, hoping it would give some clue of were Roxas was.

The person who the voice belonged to had blond hair, and sweet blue eyes.  
Eyes like…  
"Are you looking for Roxas?" She asked, her voice was like honey.

Axel sat up, "Yeah I am, how did you know that?"  
"I saw you with him earlier," She sat next to him, the fresh cut grass most likely staining her white dress, "And when I saw you again, you looked like you were looking for him."

Axel sighed and looked back up at the clouds, "He sure is elusive."  
The girl nodded, watching the clouds with Axel, "Yeah, he is."  
"How do you know him?"  
"Well…" She shifted uncomfortably, "Me and my friend Kairi used to be really mean to him. Everyone at school was…Then something happened after the school caught fire and…We all started to be nice to him."  
Axel titled his head to one side, still watching the clouds, "Weird…"  
"Then I saw Hayner in the hall on my way to the bathroom. He had that look on his face, the look older boys always got when they hurt someone…And I was sure…"  
Axel looked at the blond girl, she looked terribly sad, "Sure of?"  
"I was sure Hayner had hurt Roxas, really bad this time. So I ran down the hall. I saw him laying there and…"  
"And?"  
"He was bleeding, like…Coughing it up. I've never seen anyone cough _blood_ before."  
Axel sprung up, "What?!"  
"And…" The girl looked over to Axel, who's eyes were filled with worry and many other emotions she couldn't tell, "And I just left. I decided to leave him, and go to the bathroom instead."  
The girl got up, "I just wanted to tell you, I don't know where he is now. I hope he's safe."

As she started to walk away, Axel grabbed her wrist, "Wait-"  
"Naminé." she whispered as she walked off.  
Axel let go of her wrist, and let the information sink in.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Fifth period came and went, and no sign of Roxas.  
Where was he?  
How could that girl just…leave him there?

Axel shook his head, "Humans…"  
The boy sitting across from him asked, "What about humans?"  
He was about Roxas' age, kind of plump with brown hair.

Axel brushed it off, "Nothing, don't worry about it fatty."  
The boy gasped and glared at Axel, "What did you call me?"  
Axel was staring out the window as the boy tried to grab his attention.  
Spacing out again.

At this point, he wasn't even sure what class he was in.  
The teacher had blue hair, and a scar.  
There were models of stars and planets all over the ceiling.  
He would have guessed science, if he wasn't in that class first period.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**School was finally over, and Axel darted to the 7-11.  
Maybe Demyx could help him.

He pushed through the door with a _ding_, and spotted Demyx at the counter right away.  
Asleep, Zexion would be happy.

"Demyx! Wake up!" Axel shouted as he kicked the counter, shaking the blond cashier awake.  
He shook his head, yawned, and stretched his arms.  
"Mmmwhatdoyouwantaxel?" Demyx mumbled, trying to wake up.

Axel kicked the counter again, shaking the still sleepy Demyx again, "I have a problem, so get the fuck up!"

Yawning again, Demyx asked, "What is it Axel?"  
"Roxas."  
Demyx's eyes sprung open, "What? What happened?"  
"Last I heard he was coughing up blood in the hallway after second period."  
"What?! Where is he?!"  
"What did I just say?" Axel was getting impatient, "I don't know! That's why I need _your_ help Demyx."

Demyx looked down at his counter that was still warm from his face.  
Axel's eyes were burning holes in the dirty blond's skin.  
"Well?" He hissed.  
Demyx sighed, "Axel…I can't help you."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Roxas had never tasted this much blood before.  
It was like…He had a spoon in his mouth with nothing on it.  
Just tasting the metal.  
But more…Intense.

It was warm, and coppery.  
He guess, he had never tasted copper, so he didn't know.  
And it was kind of sticky, like when you cough up phlegm.

His first thought was to swallow it all, but would that make him throw up?  
He didn't know how this all worked, he had never coughed up blood before.  
At least, not this much.

Copper, and kind of salty.  
Sticky, and kind of thick.  
Blood.  
The taste was purely…  
Blood.

* * *

**Note:** jkhfdskjhfsklajhd....Grrr.  
So yea, Sakura con was amazing. I'm glad I went.  
I dont know what else to say....

**_Review, Fav, and Alert please!_**


	7. St Ansem's

**Authors note:** So this chapter...it sucks. I'm not gonna lie, its terrible.  
Its rushed and...I dont like it.  
I havent liked anything to do with this story in SOOO long, so...whatever.  
Sorry for grammar.  
Enjoy!

* * *

Axel slammed his hands onto the counter, "Why the fuck can't you help me Demyx!?"  
His blood was boiling, after everything that's happened, he just wanted to cuddle up with Roxas.  
Roxas would make all the bad go away.

"Because…" Demyx sighed, "Its my fault that Roxas is…So broken. At least partly."  
Axel was dumbfounded, all anger lost, "What?"  
"I see him get beat up, and I don't say anything. He comes in here asking for bandages with no money, and I tell him they aren't free. Just the other day, I saw some kid beating him senseless, and I didn't even call the police."  
"W-what?" Axel didn't comprehend, "Why? Demyx…Why?" He shook his head, "I don't understand…"  
"I know you don't. But grow up and deal with it Axel, we aren't in Hallow Bastion anymore…" Demyx's words were cold, his voice losing all its soft qualities.  
"Demyx…"  
"Out." Demyx pointed to the door, his head down, "Just get out of here Axel."

Axel Ran.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

Riku played with the hammer in his hands.  
Twirling it on its head, rocking it back and forth.  
"Did you hear about that Strife kid?"  
Sora looked back from the couch and nodded, "Yeah, Nam told me about him."  
Riku smashed a walnut on the table, "Crazy, that Hayner hit him that hard."  
Sora nodded, "Would you have done what she did?"  
"Naminé?"  
Sora nodded again, gazing absently out the window.  
Riku popped the meat of a nut into his mouth, "I don't know, I think I would have at _least_ told the nurse or like…a teachers pet or something…"  
Sora sighed, "What is it about that kid that…"  
"Makes everyone hate him?"  
Sora nodded.  
"Hey," Riku looked at the clock, "Turn the TV on, the news is on."  
Sora did as he was told, and the couple caught the start of a new story about the guy that tried to burn down their school.

"-in his house in Traverse town. The man was allegedly cooking methamphetamine when the police arrested him. His trial will be held in Twilight Town court, on Friday of this week. The police have released his name to Reno Fujiwara, age twenty-nine. He is said to-"

"Can you believe that guy?" Sora asked Riku as he watched him obliterate another walnut.  
Riku shook his head, "No, I mean…Why do people do drugs?"

"Roxas…" Sora was gazing out the window again, it was starting to rain.  
Riku shook his head, walking from the kitchen to the living room where his boyfriend sat.  
He Placed his hands on his chest and spoke slowly, "I'm _Riku_, not Roxas, we went over this honey."

Sora turned to look at Riku, "No, I mean…that kid Hayner hurt today. I think his name was Roxas."  
Riku nodded, "Yeah, so?"  
"I feel bad."  
"Why?"  
"Lets go find him."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O  
**  
Axel ran to the only place he knew where to go.  
Home.  
Zexion and Demyx's apartment.

When he got there, he was greeted by a note on the door.  
It was printed on yellowing paper, in Zexion's neat handwriting.

_"Axel,  
I'm sorry to tell you, that you cant stay here anymore.  
Something happened, to Roxas.  
I'm sure you already know but…You need to leave.  
-Zexion."_

The Note seemed hurried, and the door was locked.  
Axel kicked it in frustration, "What the fuck is going on?!"

He stood there, panting hard and angry, as the rain started to fall onto his head.  
It weighed down his hair and clothing.

He kicked the door again, cursing Hayner's name.  
Why couldn't life for Roxas just be easy?  
Why did this all…Have to happen?

"The graveyard."  
Axel spun around, there was that blond girl from school.  
"What?"  
"Its where he is. Its where you woke up, after you died, I'm sure you know the place well."Axel nodded and sped off to the graveyard.  
He ran, the rain starting to pour even harder, toward the looming place this town calls "St. Ansem cemetery".

"Fuck Roxie…Why cant you just make things easy?" He asked himself as he ran.  
His feet started to hurt, and he was starting to think he was lost.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

He slowed his running.  
He was lost.  
It was raining, he could hardly see between the beads of rain, sweat, and his hair in his face.  
Was this all hopeless?

He sat down on the sidewalk, hard.  
"Roxas…" He panted.  
"Why are you on the ground mister?"

Axel felt the rain stop suddenly, but he could vaguely see it all around him.  
"Mister?"  
He looked up, a girl was holding an umbrella for him.  
"I-I'm looking for my friend…" He panted.  
"Shouldn't you know where he is?"  
Axel shook his head, "Kid, if I knew that I wouldn't be looking would I?"

The girl stood there for a second, then retracted her umbrella and left.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

After another three miles of running, Axel found the cemetery.  
He was soaked and freezing.  
His legs felt like lead, and his head felt like someone smashed him with a baseball bat a few times.

He stumbled through the tombstones, looking for a certain place.  
It was a big tombstone, shaped like an angel.  
She would be holding her arms out into the air, as if she was waiting for someone to fall into them.

And there he was.  
Right were Axel knew he would be.  
In her arms.

He raced over to him screaming his name.  
He wasn't waking up.

"Roxas! Please…Roxas!!" He screamed, standing underneath the statue.  
He tried to shake it, but to no avail.

"ROXAS!" He kicked it. Nothing.

This was it.  
Roxas was gone, and somehow he ended up here.

Axel fell to his knees, sobbing.  
Until he noticed a card land in front of him.

Two of hearts, Red.

This card…It was Luxord's.  
It was Roxas and Axel's fate.  
Why did Roxas say yes to that damn game?

Axel picked it up, it was warm.  
He turned it over, and burned into the back it said "Forever and a day."  
Damn it.

He looked up.  
"Roxas?" He called one last time.  
Roxas replied with a hurt moaning kind of sound.

Axel jumped up and called again, "Roxie!! Are you okay?"  
Another groan.

Axel had new determination, he started to scale the statue.  
When he got to the top, he saw Roxas laying there.  
Cold, wet, eyes closed.  
His arm was laying over his stomach, as if in pain.

"Roxas?" He asked in a small voice.  
"Mmm what?"

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**

The first thought in both of the boys minds was to return home.  
Axel was carrying Roxas bridal style in his arm.

"I was there, in her arms."  
"When?"  
"The day I died."  
"You died?"  
Axel smiled, "When the Mirror broke, I died. I woke up in her arms. Demyx did to but…I don't know where he ended up."  
"What's dying like?"  
"Its not to bad…You just kind of go to sleep, and I went back to Hallow Bastion. Once I found my way out, I woke up there."  
"You to?" Roxas closed his eyes, "I went there today to…"  
"I know."  
"I got that card…"  
"I know."  
"_Again_ and I _still_ don't know what it means."  
Axel nodded, "I know…"  
"You sure know a lot."  
"I'm just showing off."  
Roxas smiled.  
Axel leaned down and kissed his forehead, "So tell me about it. What happened?"  
"Well…I was in the hallway at school and…Hayner beat me up. I started to cough blood and…Well I passed out and woke up outside of Hallow Bastion."  
"Then?"  
"I saw Luxord again. He made me play the game over and…I lost it."  
"You lost the game?"  
"That's what he said…He said…"  
"You'll be back."  
"Yeah…Will I?"  
Axel shook his head and sped up his pace, "Not if I can help it."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O **

They arrived home somewhere around midnight.  
The door was unlocked.  
That was a bad sign.

Although Cloud had stopped drinking, so this could be fine.  
He could have just forgot.

Roxas yawned and said, "You can stay here tonight, he wont mind…"  
Axel wrapped his arm around his shoulder, "You know, we are both mirror beings now."  
"What?"  
Axel smiled and kissed Roxas' forehead, "The mirror claimed you. You broke it so…It took you to."  
Roxas looked down, stared for awhile, then looked back to Axel, "That's alright with me."  
"Good." They exchanged smiles.

Roxas started to lead the way to his bedroom when Axel's eye was caught.  
"Whys your dad's door open?"

Roxas tilted his head to one side, "I don't know, go see." He gave Axel a little shove on the back.

Axel smiled and opened the door a bit.  
He covered his mouth and took a few steps back.  
"R-Roxas…?" Axel gasped, "I think we should leave…Now."  
"Why?" Roxas stepped up to where Axel was, and shoved him out of the way.  
He just wanted to go to bed, it was a long day.

Roxas in turn with Axel covered his mouth in shook.  
His father was laying on the bed, eyes closed, laying somewhat awkwardly.  
There was all this…blood.  
Everywhere.

A gun was laying limply in his hand.

* * *

**Note:** So yea...That did just happen.  
I dont know what else to say but...  
The next chapter is the last one!!  
Teehee!

**_Please Fav, Alert, and Review!!!_**


	8. Salad days

**Authors note:** This sucks, and is short. But eh, theres nothing left.  
Proof reader hasnt seen it, sorry.  
Enjoy.

* * *

The two boys stood there, mouths covered by hands, gawking at the dead man on the bed.  
All those years of emotional and physical torture, were over.  
All the bruises and cuts and lies, were over.  
All the drinks and all the blame on Roxas, it was all over.  
All over, with a single bullet.

Why hadn't it happened earlier?  
If it was so easy to kill, why didn't it happen when Roxas really needed it to?

"Roxas?" Axel asked, weary of how he would respond.  
"Lets go." Roxas' hands dropped from his mouth, they hung absently at his side.  
"What? Roxas should be call the-"  
"No." He interrupted, "No, lets just go…Let someone else find him."

Axel turned toward the blond, "What are you talking about?"  
Roxas looked up at him, his eyes were full and blue, "What do you think I'm talking about? Lets run away."  
"Roxas we cant jus-"  
"Why not?"  
"Because that's not how life works!"  
"We'll get fake names, and blend into the schools. We can leave Axel, no one would stop us."

Axel stood there for a moment, soaking in all he heard.  
"Fake names…" He played with the words on his tongue, "Fake names…"

Roxas shrugged, staring at his bloody and dead father, "It wouldn't be that hard. I mean…we've been through so much together already, lets just…" He looked Axel straight in the eye, "Do it."  
Axel sighed, "Rox-"  
"No thinking, just do it."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Riku had spent he night over at Sora's house again.  
They slept side by side in sleeping bags on the ground.  
Riku's was blue, Sora's was red.

They slept, and they never noticed the world stop for a moment.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Demyx and Zexion held hands as they watched.  
The world stopped.  
Only for a moment.  
But it did.

"You think we did it right?" Demyx asked, not looking over at Zexion.  
The slate haired man smiled, nodded, "Yes, I think we did exactly what the boss would want."

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**"Creep!" The guard shoved Reno into a cell, hard enough to force him to his knees.  
"Burning down a fucking school…" He shook his head and left.

Reno simply smiled and got up.  
He brushed himself off, "That's fine, all the pieces are in place now. Now the real fun can start. The boss," He looked as the man in the cell across from him did something nasty with himself, "The boss will be pleased."

Reno smiled, because the world was holding still.  
It was stopping, if only for a moment.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Axel and Roxas held hands that night.  
They held hands as the world stopped.  
It stopped for them.

It stopped so they could get away.  
So they could run, without thinking, into the rain.  
The rain would take them somewhere.  
Anywhere.

As long as they went together.

Axel burned the card before they left.  
He watched as their fate was freed, as the card that told them of destruction and doom was burned away.  
He watched as the fire licked the card, twisting it and changing it.  
To ash.  
Fate, to ash.

They ran, hand in hand, into the night.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**No one heard or saw anything of the two after that.  
Everyone's life was back to normal, as if nothing had changed.

No one noticed that Axel and Roxas were missing, not even Demyx or Zexion.  
Although, Demyx did ask the manager to discontinue Sea salt ice cream and Pickle Chips.

Cloud's body was found the next day, Hayner came to say he was sorry for what he did to Roxas.  
Please surprise.

**O.o..o..o..o..o..o..o.O**Axel smiled as he watched Roxas.  
They were on a train, and they weren't Roxas and Axel anymore.  
They were Keiji and Koki, at least to the outside world.

"You know, these are our salad days."  
"What?" Roxas looked at him, he was smiling, and his hair was pulled back. It looked nice.  
"You know, our happy days. Our lives are really starting now."  
"What's so happy about salad?"  
Axel thought for a moment, "Ranch."  
Roxas smiled and cuddled up to him.  
Indeed, these _were_ salad days to come.

* * *

_Disclaimer:_ I dont own the novel _Feed_, sorry.  
**_Note:_** So there it is. The end of a two part story. I wish I left it at "The Mirror" but oh well.  
Feel oh so confused?  
Hope so.

Anyway I've started work on a new story, I finished the first chapter already. Its called "Don't talk to stangers".  
Its very...Mind-fucky, more then this. You should go read it, now. Please and thank you.  
XD Enjoy it.

**_Please Fav, Review, and Alert!_**  
And go read my new story ok? Thank!


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